Lasting machine



April 20, 1965 P. VOLLHARDT LASTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May25. 1962 INVENTUE. P mu P P v OLLH ARDT ATTORNEY A ril 20, 1965 FiledMay 25, 1962 P. VOLLHARDT LASIING MACHINE FIG. 3

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 IN VE N TOR.

PHILIPP VOLLHAR DT ATT ORNEY April 20, 1965 Filed May 25, 1962 P.VOLLHARDT LASTING MACHINE IHIII HH 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVE N TOR I PHlLlPPVOLLHARDT ATT ORNEY April 1965 P. VOLLHARDT 3,178,741

LASTING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 3

58' 65 A E W 7 F 64 7 66 k QC) lNVENTOB.

PHILIPP VOLLHARDT BYzW ATTORNEY United States Patent 0 3,178,741 LASTINGMAtIHlNE Philipp Vollhardt, Gberursel, Taunus, Germany, assignor toEugen G. Henkei, Maschinenfahrik, Neu-Tsenhurg, Germany, a firm ofGermany Filed May 25, 1962, Ser. No. 197,794 Claims priority,application Germany, .Fan. 4, 1962, H 44,530; .Tan. 9, 1962, H 44,562 21Claims. (ill. 12--12) The present invention relates to a lastingmachine, and more particularly to a shank lasting machine.

The conventional lasting machines for lasting the toe and heel parts ofshoes generally operate with so-called Wipers which are pivotable likeshears about a fulcrum which is located in front of the toe or heelportion of the last and within a plane which extends parallel to thebottom of the respective portion of the last. When these wipers aremoved in the direction toward the last, the jaws thereof press thelasting margin of the upper against the insole on the bottom of the lastso that the lasting margin may at the same time be cemented to theinsole.

The operation of lasting a shoe by means of such wipers involves noparticular difiiculties as long as the bottom of the last lies withinthe same plane as the fiat operating side of the jaws. The lastingoperation of the conventional lasting machines is therefore generallylimited to the area between the toe or heel portion of the last and thebeginning of the shank which corresponds to the instep of the foot. Theshank area can therefore not be reached by the mechanical lastingoperation since the bottom of the last deviates within this area fromthe plane of the operating side of the flat wiper jaws.

In order to permit the lasting work to be carried out mechanically alsowithin the shank area, the wipers of one prior lasting machine have beensubdivided within this area into a plurality of fingerlike elementswhich are pivotable independently of each other relative tothe bottom ofthe last and are adapted to press under spring action or under their ownelasticity against the shank area of the last bottom. When thefingerlike elements are moved toward the last bottom, they first carryout a pivoting movement about their axis and then assume a positionwhich more or less corresponds to the shape of the shank.

The last-mentioned shank lasting machine has, however, the disadvantagethat the operating side of the fingerlike elements only engages with avery small part of the lasting margin of the upper so that usually thereis hardly any more than a pointlike engagement, while toward the edge ofthe lasting margin the fingers usually no longer engage at all.Consequently, in this type of lasting machine the lasting margin of theupper is pressed against the insole with a rather low pressure or thepressure is limited to a few small points. The efiect of this deficiencyis especially serious in cement lasting where it is very important thatthe lasting margin of the upper is cemented uniformly at all points tothe insole. This can be attained, however, only if the machine isdesigned so that the wipers press the lasting margin along its entirewidth and also within the shank area against the insole. This, however,is impossible with the mentioned shank lasting machine.

The present invention as subsequently described is based upon therecognition of the important fact that the mentioned deficiency of theknown shank lasting machine as above referred to is due to the fact thatthe fingerlike wiper elements themselves are pivotable about ahorizontal axis.

There is another known shank lasting machine in which the individualfingerlike shank wipers are adjusted to the ICC shape of the shank andthe height of the heel portion of the particular last not by carryingout a pivoting movement about a horizontal axis but by being slidablewithin a vertical plane to different positions parallel to each other.The ends of the fingers opposite to the operating ends are for thispurpose mounted in a curved guide, the pitch of which is adjustable. Inthis manner it is possible to adjust the shape of the curve which isformed by a connection between the operating ends of the fingers so asto comply to some extent with the inclination of the shank. A perfectadjustment of the operating curve to the shape of the shank is, however,not possible because the fingers are movable Within a common guide andare therefore not adjustable relative to the last bottom completelyindependently of each other. This machine can therefore not be used forworking on more or less unusual types of lasts. This disadvantage canalso not be avoided by making the fingers of an elastic constructionsince such an elasticity would prevent the fingers from being appliedupon the lasting margin with the high contact pressure which isessential in order to attain a proper cementing of the lasting margin tothe insole.

A further disadvantage of the last-mentioned shank lasting machine isthe fact that the curve which is formed by a connection between theoperating ends of the fingers only extends within a single verticalplane and not also within the horizontal plane. This machine thereforedoes not take into account the fact that within the area of the shankand especially at the inner side thereof, the contour of the last iscurved inwardly, that is, toward its center. If, as in this known shanklasting machine, all of the operating ends of the fingerlike shankwipers lie only within a single vertical plane, the effective side oredge of the operating end of each finger which is, for example, of abeveled shape will not engage along its entire length with the lastingmargin, but will partly project over the margin. Naturally, this is verydetrimental especially in cement lasting.

The known shank lasting machines also do not take into account the factthat the extent of the shank increases with the increase in the size ofthe shoe sothat a fixed number of wiper fingers as provided in theseknown machines will not always be sufiicient for lasting the sameanatomical area of lasts of difierent sizes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a shank lastingmachine which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages and isgenerally of the type as previously described which is provided withshank wipers which are subdivided into a plurality of fingerlikeelements which are individually movable relative to the bottom of thelast to different positions parallel to each other.

The basic concept of the invention for attaining this object is toprovide suitable means to permit the fingers by being movableindependently of each other to move from a basic position in which theyare spaced from the bottom of the last automatically to their operativeposition in which they are in engagement with the bottom of the last.This, in turn, permits the operating end of each finger to be adjustedin a very simple manner relative to the bottom of the last independentlyof the adjustment of the operating ends of the other fingers. Thefingerlike wipers will thus adapt themselves very quickly, without anymanual operation, and very accurately to the size and contour of anyshank which was previously impossible when the rear ends of the fingerswere mounted in a common guide.

The structural embodiment of this principal concept of the invention mayconsist in pivotably mounting the rear ends of the fingers on one ormore levers which, in

turn, are capable of swiveling about one or more axes relative to thebottom of the last. Each finger is preferably associated with two ofthese levers which are disposed above and spaced from each other and aremounted I on two pivots which are likewise disposed above each other.According to a preferred embodiment of, the

invention, the desired movability of the fingers, may be attained byproviding the rearend of each finger with a crosspiece so as to be of aT-shaped constructiomby making the two ends of this crosspiece of aspherical or cylindrical shape, and by rotatably mounting these two ends'nerras subsequently described. The front ends of these fingers 16 areprovided with beveled surfaces 17 which form the operating surface'ofthe fingers and are adapted area of the shank of the shoe.

in bearings of a corresponding shape on the ends of the a two levers. 7

By this double pivotable suspension of each finger on a pair of leverswhich are mounted on'separate pivots it is possible in a very simplemanner to guide the fingers so that during their adjustment relative tothe bottom of the last they will always extend parallel to each other.In orderto insure that the lasting margin. of the upper will be stronglypressed by the fingerlike wipers against the insole, these fingers arenot made in the conventional manner of an elastic construction but of arigid construction. According to one preferred embodiment of theinvention the pressure of the fingers against the bottom of the last isproduced by means of springs. s

The shank lasting mechanism according to the invention is preferablyapplied to a combined pulling-over and lasting machine. The movement ofthe entire pack of fingers may then be carried out automatically in amanner known as such in response to the operation of the pullingovergrippers.

The objects, features, and advantages of the present invention willbecome more clearly apparent from the following detailed descriptionthereof which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings,in which FIGURE 1 shows a side view of the shank lasting apparatusaccording to the invention; a 7

FIGURE 2 shows a plan view as seen in the direction of the arrow II inFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 shows a view of the lasting apparatus as seen in thedirectionof the arrow III in FIGURE 1, and also indicates the alternatearrangement of two different lasts relative to the mechanism;

FIGURE 4 shows a view similar to FIGURE 3, but in,

which the levers are omitted; 7

FIGURE 5 shows a plan'view similar to FIGURE 2 of a lastingmechanismaccording to a modification of the invention;

FIGURE 6 shows a view similar to FIGURE 3 of the modifiedapparatusaccording to FIGURE 5;

' FIGURE 7 shows a perspective view of a toe or heel wiper together withthe associated auxiliary wiper fingers; while FIGURE 8 shows themounting of one of the auxiliary fingers with slightly different fingersbeing used.

The mechanism for lasting the shank of a shoe which in the illustrationsof the first embodiment of the invention, that is, in FIGURES 1 to 4,.isgenerally indicated at 1 is connected to the frame of the lastingmachine by means of arms 2, the front ends of whichcarry bushings 3 onwhich by 'means of pins 4 a supporting plate 5 is mounted. On thissupporting plate 5 the actual shank lasting mechanism 1 is slidablymounted by means of guide members 6. As shown-particularly in FIGURES 3and 4, for sliding the lasting mechanism 1 along the supporting plate 5a handwheel 7 is provided which is connected to an adjusting spindle 8which is rotatable within a bearing plate 9 which is secured to thelasting mechanism by screws 10, while a flange 11 prevents spindle 8from moving in the axial direction. spindle 8 engages into a threadedbore in a projection 12 on the supporting plate 5;

As illustrated'in FIGURE 1,- ash finger. 16 is sub- .stantially T-shapedby being provided on its rear end which extends into housing 13, 14 witha crosspiece 18.

'The ends 19 of this crosspiece 1 8 are circularly rounded and engagei'nto corresponding circular recesses 20 which are provided in the frontends of a pair of suspension levers 21 which are mounted at theirrearends on a pair of shafts 22. Each finger 16 is therefore mounted ona separate pair of suspension levers 21 and may thus be movedindependently of the other fingers 16. Levers 21 are pivotable aboutshafts 22-and also about the circular ends 19 of the crosspieces .18.The distances between the centers of both shafts 22 and the centers ofthe circular ends 19 of each-crosspiece 13 is equal. Since both levers21 on each crosspiece are also of the same size, they form aparallelogram as the result of which the positions to which fingers'16may be moved will at any elevation extend parallel to each other.

At the beginning it has been pointed out that it is one disadvantage ofthe known shank lasting machines that the curve which is formed by aconnection between the operating ends of'the fingers only extends withina single plane. Therefore, the fingerlike members cannot adaptthemselves sutficiently to the contour of the shank. In order toovercome this disadvantage, the present invention provides that theoperating ends of the fingers are adjustable along a tridimensionalcurve. When all of the fingers 16 are of the same length as illustratedin FIGURE 2, this may be attained by making the shafts 22 not of astraight shapebut by curving them in the di rection toward the tips ofthe fingers 16 so that the curvature corresponds'at least substantiallyto the shape of the shank area of the last at the side facing'theshafts. Therefore, although all of the fingers16 are of the same length,they project for different distances from the housing 13, 14; Since allof the fingers are of the same length, the

connecting line 23 between the fingertips, that is, the,

operating curve, corresponds exactly to the curvature of shaft 22 whenall fingers 16 are disposed at the same level, that is, when they are inthe neutral position. In the opcrating position, however, fingers16"aredis posed at dif- The front end of The lasting mechanism 1 ismounted within a cage-like J housing consisting of the two parts 13 and14 which are 1 secured to each other by screws 15. Within housing 13, 14a plurality of wiper, fingers 16 are mounted ina manend a control knob35.

spindle 33 is' screwed into a threaded bore in slide member 26. Sincespindle 33 is fixed in the axial direction, slide member 26 will beshifted within aperture 30 when ferent levels since they must adaptthemselves to the arched contour of the shank. The curvature of shafts22 may be designed so that the connecting line 23 between the finger tip17 corresponds to the contour of the shank of a medium-sized last. Y I IFor adapting the lasting mechanism 1 to shoes of different sizes andshapes" and thus to different shanks, it is provided with an adjustmentdevice which permits the shafts 22 to be shifted inthe axial direction.For this purpose, the ends 24 of shafts 22 are mounted in slide members25 and 26 which are secured by nuts 27 by means of which the slidemembers may be tightened against the shoulders 28 of shafts 22. Slidemember 25 is slidable within an aperture 29 in the housing part .13,while slide member 26 is slidable within a corresponding aperture 30 inthe housing part14. Aperture30 is closed by a cover 31 which is securedto housing part 14 by screws 32. In'cover 31am adjusting spindle 33 isrotatably mounted which is prevented by .a flange 34 from shifting inthe axial direction and carries on its outer The threaded front part ofcontrol'knob 35 is turned, and both shafts 22 together with the otherslide member 25 will then also be shifted A similar lasting mecha- I inthe axial direction. By this movement, the two sets of levers 21 whichare mounted closely adjacent to each other on shafts 22 are shiftedalong the shafts and thereby move to another area of the curvature ofthe shafts. This, in turn, changes the shape of the operating curve 23which may in this manner be adapted to the different shapes and contoursof the shanks or lasts of shoes of different shapes and sizes.

Each set consisting of a finger I6 and a pair of levers 21 is acted uponby a spring. In the particular embodiment of the invention asillustrated in FIGURE.) 1 to 4-, torsion springs 36 together defining aspring assembly are provided for this purpose. One arm 39 of each ofthese springs acts upon the lower side of the lower lever 21 and theother arm 38 acts upon another element of mechanism 1. Spring 36 tendsto press the lower lever 21 and thus also the upper lever 21 and thefinger in the upward direction.

In order to arrest all fingers 16 at a certain elevation, a lockingdevice is provided which consists of a clamping fixture which may beoperated by a handle 4%. Hub 41 of handle is secured by a pin 42 to aneccentric shaft 43 which is mounted in an upper bore 44 and a lower bore45 which are provided in corresponding projections on the housing part14. The central part 45 of shaft 43 forms an eccentric which engagesupon the outermost levers 21. When handle 44 is turned to a certainextent, the eccentric 46 will be turned so that the intermediate member47 presses the entire pack of levers and fingers against the side wallof the housing part 13. The eccentric 46 is made of such an eccentricityand handle 4t? is made of such a length that only a relatively smallforce needs to be applied on the handle in order to exert such a strongclamping effect that the fingers 16 may be locked securely at any leveland will then not yield under the operating pressure with which they arepressed against the last.

In order to move all of the fingers 16 to a basic position and to lockthem therein when the machine is in the inoperative position, a furtherlocking device is provided which, as illustrated in FIGURES l and 2, isoperated by a handle 41% which is secured to a lever 55?. Thi lever 50is pivotable about a shaft 49 which extends across the entire width ofhousing 13, I4 and around which the actual locking lever 51 ispivotable. This locking lever 51 is secured to the adjusting lever Si?by bolts 52. When the mechanism is in the position a illustrated inFIGURE 1, all fingers 16 are pressed downwardly and the lower roundedend of locking lever 51 engages upon the upper side of fingers 16.

For adjusting the shank lasting mechanism It to a last of a particularshape (two diiferent lasts 53 and 54 being indicated in FIGURE 3), thefollowing procedure is followed:

First, by pivoting the second locking device by means of the handle 48,all fingers 16 are pressed downwardly and are at first left in thisposition in which they are all spaced from the bottom of thesubsequently inserted last. After the last 53 or 54 is inserted, lockinglever 51 is pivoted upwardly toward the right, whereupon fingers 16 willmove upwardly under the action of springs 36 until the beveled ends 17of the fingers engage upon the lasting margin of the upper. After thefingers have thus adapted themselves automatically to the shape of thelast and have thereby formed a curve in accordance with the shape of theshank of the respective last, the clamping lever 40 is turned, wherebyall fingers I6 are arrested in the adjusted position and form a rigidunit. This completes the adjustment of the shank lasting mechanism sothat the production can then be started.

In the actual lasting operation, the entire mechanism is moved by anappropriate movement of the supporting arms 2 in the direction towardthe last so that the beveled operating surfaces I7 of the fingers drawthe upper firmly over the edge of the last and press it upon the insole.

The modification of the invention as illustrated in FIG- URES 5 and 6,differs from the embodiment as previously described by the fact that inplace of the curved shafts 22 on which the fingers are mounted inFIGURES 1 to 4, shafts 56 in FIGURES 5 and 6 are straight, and that thetridimensional connecting line 57 between the tips of fingers inaccordance with the particular contour of of the last is attained bymaking the fingers 55 of diiferent lengths.

Furthermore, the apparatus according to FIGURES 5 and 6 is equipped withan auxiliary device which, however, may also be applied to the apparatusaccording to FIGURES l to 4, and which is provided for permitting alasting operation to be carried out within the same anatornical area onlarger lasts as on smaller lasts. This is of importance inasmuch as anincrease in the size of the last also results in an increase in the sizeof the shank. The set of fingers as illustrated in FIGURE 2 thereforedoes not permit the lasting margin to be worked upon within the entirearea of the shank of larger lasts. This will be clearly apparent fromFIGURE 3 which indicates the range of operation of the finger pack on alarge last and on a small last. The invention therefore provides betweenthe toe or heel wipers and the finger pack an auxiliary device in theform of auxiliary wiper fingers 58 or 58, as illustrated in FIGURES 7and 8, respectively, and which are adapted to extend the range ofoperation of the shank lasting mechanism. The fingers $8 shown in FIGURE8 are slightly different from those shown in FIGURE 7. Depending uponthe position of the shank lasting mechanism which may be shifted in thesame manner as in the first embodiment by means of a control knob 59, asshown in FIGURE 6, a larger or smaller number of auxiliary fingers 58 or58' will he made eifective between the ends of the wiper plates 69 and61 and the finger pack 55 of the shank lasting mechanism. The unusedfingers 58 or 58' then engage upon stop edges '52 and 63 of jaws 6i) and61.

For automatically moving the auxiliary fingers 53 forwardly, they aremounted in the manner as shown in FIGURE 8 so as to be slidable in thelongitudinal direc tion, that is, parallel to the operative side of thewiper plates 69, 61. The plane of action of the auxiliary fingers 53 or58' lies within the extension of the plane of action of plates 64 til.Fingers 58 or 58' are provided with elongated slots 64 in which a pin 65engages. The movement of each finger 53 or 58' is effected by a separatecompression spring 66, one end of which acts upon the respective fingerand the other end upon the housing. The operating position of thefingers is reached when the rear end of slot 64 engages upon pin 65,provided that the tips of the auxiliary fingers S8 or 58' have notpreviously come to rest upon the stop edges 62 and 53.

In order to permit the auxiliary fingers to be moved automatically totheir operating position when the cage 13, 14- for the finger pack 16,55 is adjusted, for example, in a toe lasting machine, more toward theheel of a larger last, the housing or supporting frame for the auxiliaryfingers is connected to cage 13, 14 (see FIGURES 6 and 8 The distance atwhich the cage 13, I4 is adjusted from the ends of the wiper platestherefore determines the number of auxiliary fingers which are retractedfrom the step edge 62, 63 and are moved into their operative position.

In order to prevent the auxiliary fingers in the operating position frombeing pushed back when being moved against the last which might preventa proper cementing, a stop member 67 is provided at the rear end of theauxiliary fingers 58 or 58, as illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8. This stopmember which is stationary and secured, for example, to the supportingplate 5 locks the forwardly moved auxiliary fingers in their operatingposition. As illustrated in FIGURE 7, fingers 58 or 58' are placed infront of the stop member 67 to the extent at which they are drawn awayfrom the step edge 62 and 63 of the plates as and 61 during-the movementof 1 toward said bottom, and means for locking said fingers in saidbasic position against the action of. said resilient means.

.4; In a lasting machine, a shank lasting mechanism comprising a'plurality of individual wiper fingers at least at one side of a centralvertical longitudinal plane of a last, and means for moving each of saidfingers within a vertical .plane into one of a plurality of positionswhich tongs and are employed for lasting the toe or heel are 7preferably provided'with extensions 63' and, 6? which project beyondtheir effective area within which thevpress the lasting margin from thetip of the toe or from the end of the heel up to the beginning oftheshank against Y the insole. tend along the area of operation of theauxiliary fingers 56 so that the folds of the lasting margin which areformed within the area of the beginning of the shank and are.out

of reach of the plates 60 andl themselves when they are pivoted towardeach other, will then be folded by the extensions against the insole inthe direction toward 0 the shank. In prior lasting machines, these foldsalways These extcnsionsfs and 6% preferably ex projected fromthe insoleand thereby interfered with the inward movement of the shank wiperfingers. These extensions of the jaws give the folds a positive supportso that the folds will then be placed in a position'in which theinwardly moving fingers 58 can easily move underneath them and pressthem effectively against theinsole,

thus insuring that these folds will 'be. properly cemented.

to the insole. V 7

As may be clearly seen in FIGURE ;7, fingers 58 are movable into the gapbetween the insole, notshown, and the upper side of the jaw extensionsosand 69 facing the insole. In order to make this gap of the properwidth:

to accommodate the fingers 53 it is advisable to offset the extensions68, 69 sufiiciently relative to the upper side of plates 60, 6t.

Although my invention has been illustrated and described with referenceto the preferred embodiments thereof, I wish tohave it understood thatit is in no way limited to the details of such embodiments, butis-capable'o-f numerous modifications Within the scope of the appendedclaims.

, Having thus fully disclosedby invention, what I claim is:

1. In a lasting machine, a shank lasting mechanism comprising aplurality of individual wiper fingers at least at one side of a centralvertical longitudinal plane ofa last, means for mounting each of saidfingers so as to be movable Within a vertical plane into one of aplurality of positions which are parallel to each other andindependently of the other fingers from a basic position spaced from thebottom of the last to an operative position in engagement with thebottom of the last, and resilient means acting '-upon each of saidfingers for moving sald finger toward said bottom.

2. In a lasting machine, a shank lasting mechanism. comprising aplurality of individual substantially nonresilient wiper fingers atleast at one side of a central vertical longitudinal plane of a last,means for mounting each of said fingers so as to be movable within avertical plane into one of a plurality of positions which are parallelto each other and independently of the other fingers from a basicposition spaced from the bottom of.

the last'to an operative position in engagement with the bottom of thelast, and' at least one spring acting upon each of said fingers formoving said finger toward said bottom.

3. In a lasting machine, a shanlclasting mechanism comprising aplurality of individual Wiper fingers at least at one side or" a centralveitical longitudinal plane'of a least, means for mounting each of saidfingers so as to be movable within a vertical plane into one of aplurality of positions which are parallel to each other and inde-'pendently of the other fingers from a'basic position spaced from thebottom of the last'to an operative posit onm engagement with the bottomof the last, resilient means acting. upon each of said fingers formoving said, finger are parallel to each other and independently of theother fingers from a basic position spaced from the bottom of the lastto an operating position in which the front ends of said fingers are inengagement with the bottom of the last, said means comprising aplurality of levers, means pivotally connecting each of said fingers atits rear end to the front end of at least ea er said levers, and meansfor pivotably mounting saidlevers at their rear ends.

5. In a lasting machine, a shank lasting mechanism comprising aplurality of individual wiper fingers at least at one sideof a centralvertical longitudinal plane of a last, and means for simultaneouslymoving each of said fingers within a vertical plane'into one of 'aplurality of positions which are parallel to each other andindependently of the other fingers froma basic position spaced from thebottom of; the last to an operating position in which the front ends ofsaid fingers are in engagement 7 with the bottom of the last, said meanscomprising a pluralityof levers arranged in pairs,'rneans mounting thetwo leversof each pair spaced from each other, .means for pivotablyconnecting the rear end of each of said fingers to the front ends ofsaid two levers, and means above andspaced from each other for pivotablymounting said two-levers for each finger at their rear ends.

-. In a lasting machine, a'shank lasting mechanism fingers from a basicposition spaced from the bottom ofthe last to an operating position inwhich the front ends of said fingersare in engagement with the bottom ofthe last, each of said fingers having a crosspiece on its rear end andthus being substantially T-shaped, saidmeans comprising a pluralityoflevers arranged in pairs, means mounting the two levers of each pairspaced from each other and each having a substantially circular aperturein its front end, said crosspiece having rounded ends rotatably mountedwithin said circular apertures of said two levers, and means above andspaced from each other for pivotably mounting said two levers for eachfinger-at their rear ends. I

7. In a lasting machine, a shank lasting mechanism comprising apluralityof individual wiper fingers of an equal length at least at one side of acentral vertical longitudinal'plane of a last and disposed closelyadjacent to and slidable relative to each other, and means for movingeach of said fingers within a vertical plane into one of a plurality ofpositions which are parallel to each other and independently of theother fingers from a basic position spaced from the bottom of the lastto an operating position in which the front ends of said fingers .are'inengagement with the bottom of the last, said means com prisingaplurality of upper and lower levers arranged in pairs, means mountingthetwo levers of each pair spaced from each other and the correspondinglevers of each other pivotably' supporting the rear ends of all of saidupper and lower levers, respectively, both ofvsaid shafts being curvedsubstantially in accordance with the con tourofthe 'shanl; of'the lastat said side of said vertical plane thereof. ,7

8. in a lasting machine, a shankj lasting mechanism comprising aplurality of individual wiper fingers of an equal length at least at oneside of a central vertical longitudinal plane of a last and disposedclosely adjacent to and slidable relative to each other, means formoving each of said fingers within a vertical plane into one of aplurality of positions which are parallel to each other andindependently of the other fingers from a basic position spaced from thebottom of the last to an operating position in which the front ends ofsaid fingers are in engagement with the bottom of the last, said meanscomprising a plurality of upper and lower levers arranged in pairs,means mounting the two levers of each pair spaced from each other andthe corresponding levers of each pair closely adjacent to and slidablerelative to each other, means for pivotably connecting the rear ends ofeach of said fingers to the front ends of said two levers, and an uppershaft and a lower shaft spaced from each other pivotably supporting therear ends of all of said upper and lower levers, respectively, both ofsaid shafts being curved substantially in accordance with the contour ofthe shank of the last at said side of said vertical plane thereof, andmeans for shifting all of said levers simultaneously along said shaftsfor adjusting said fingers in the longitudinal direction of the shank ofthe last.

9. In a lasting machine, a shank lasting mechanism comprising aplurality of individual wiper fingers at least at one side of a centralvertical longitudinal plane of a last and disposed closely adjacent toand slidable relative to each other, means for moving each of saidfingers within a vertical plane into one of a plurality of positionswhich are parallel to each other and independently of the other fingersfrom a basic position spaced from the bottom of the last to an operatingposition in which the front ends of said fingers are in engagement withthe bottom of the last, said means comprising a plurality of upper andlower levers arranged in pairs, means mounting the two levers of eachpair spaced from each other and the corresponding levers of each pairclosely adjacent to and slidable relative to each other, means forpivotably connecting the rear ends of each of said fingers to the frontends of said two levers, and a straight upper shaft and a straight lowershaft parallel to and spaced from each other at a distance substantiallyequal to the distance between said connecting means on the front ends ofsaid two levers and pivotably supporting the rear ends of all of saidupper and lower levers, respectively, said fingers having differentlengths so that a line connecting the front ends of the adjacent fingersis curved substantially in accordance with the contour of the shank ofthe last at said side of said vertical plane thereof.

10. In a lasting machine having at least one tong-shaped end wiper witha pair of plates pivotably connected to each other at a point spacedfrom a last in the longitudinal direction thereof and pivotable relativeto at least one end part of the last for lasting the corresponding endpart of an upper to an insole, a plurality of shank wiper fingers oneach side of a central vertical longitudinal plane of the last, meansfor moving said fingers within a vertical plane from a basic positionspaced from the bottom of the last to an operative position inengagement with the bottom of the last, and a plurality of auxiliarywiper fingers on each side of said vertical plane for lasting the partof the upper intermediate said end part and said shank thereof, springmeans acting upon each of said auxiliary fingers and tending to move thesame individually from a position spaced from said last toward anoperative position in engagement with the last, and stop means on saidend wiper for determining the number of auxiliary fingers capable ofbeing moved by said spring means toward said last and underneath thelasting margin of the upper.

11. In a lasting machine having at least one tongshaped end wiper with apair of plates pivotably connected to each other at a point spaced froma last in the longitudinal direction thereof and pivotable relative toat least one end part of the last for lasting the corresponding end partof an upper to an insole, a plurality of shank Wiper fingers on eachside of a central vertical longitudinal plane of the last, means formoving said fingers within a vertical plane from a basic position spacedfrom the bottom of the last to an operative position in engagement withthe bottom of the last, and a plurality of auxiliary wiper fingers oneach side of said vertical plane for lasting the part of the upperintermediate said end part and said shank thereof, spring means actingupon each of said auxiliary fingers and tending to move the sameindividually from a position spaced from said last to- Ward an operativeposition in engagement with the last, each of said plates of said endwiper having a recess in the outer side thereof at the free end directedtoward the shank of the last and forming a stop edge for limiting thenumber of auxiliary fingers capable of being moved by said spring meanstoward said last and underneath the lasting margin of the upper.

12. In a lasting machine having at least one tongshaped end Wiper with apair of plates pivotably connected to each other at a point spaced froma last in the longitudinal direction thereof and pivotable relative toat least one end part of the last for lasting the corresponding end partof an upper to an insole, a plurality of shank wiper fingers on eachside of a central vertical longitudinal plane of the last, a housingpartly enclosing and guiding said shank Wiper fingers, means for movingsaid fingers within a vertical plane from a basic position spaced fromthe bottom of the last to an operative position in engagement with thebottom of the last, a plurality of auxiliary wiper fingers on each sideof said vertical plane for lasting the part of the upper intermediatesaid end part and said shank thereof, spring means acting upon each ofsaid auxiliary fingers and tending to move the same individually from aposition spaced from said last toward an operative position inengagement with the last, stop means on said end Wiper for determiningthe number of auxiliary fingers capable of being moved by said springmeans toward said last and underneath the lasting margin of the upper,each of said auxiliary fin ers having an elongated slot extending in thedirection of movement of said finger, and a pin connected to saidhousing of said shank Wiper fingers and extending through said slots ofsaid auxiliary fingers for limiting the extent of the movement of theaum'liary fingers toward said last which do not engage with said stopmeans.

13. In a lasting machine having at least one tongshaped end wiper with apair of plates pivotably connected to each other at a point spaced froma last in the longitudinal direction thereof and pivotable relative toat least one end part of the last for lasting the corresponding end partof an upper to an insole, a plurality of shank finger wipers on eachside of a central vertical longitudinal plane of the last and disposedclosely adjacent to and slidable relative to each other, means formoving each of said fingers within a substantially vertical plane andparallel to and independently of the other fingers from a basic positionspaced from the bottom of the last to an operating position in which thefront ends of said fingers are in engagement with the bottom of thelast, said means comprising a plurality of upper and lower leversarranged in pairs, means mounting the two levers of each pair spacedfrom each other and the corresponding levers of each pair closelyadjacent to and slidable relative to each other, means for pivotablyconnecting the rear ends of each of said fingers to the front ends ofeach of said two levers, a housing laterally enclosing all of saidlevers and the rear ends of said fingers at each side of said verticalplane of the last, and an upper shaft and a lower shaft mounted in saidhousing parallel to and spaced from each other at a distancesubstantially equal to the distance between said connecting means on thefront ends w of said two levers and pivotably supporting the rear endsof all of said upper and lower, levers, respectively, the front ends ofsaid fingers having different lengths so that a line connecting saidfront ends of the adjacent fingers at each side of said vertical planeof the last is curved substantially in accordance with the contour ofthe shank fat said side of said last, spring means acting upon each pairof said levers for moving said fingers to the bottom of the shank, aplurality of auxiliary wiper fingers on each side of said vertical planefor lasting the part of the said shank wiper fingers and also saidauxiliary fingers movement of in a direction transverse to the directionof said individual shankwiper fingers.

14. In a lasting machine. having at least one tongshaped end wiper witha pairfof plates pivotably connected to each other at a point spacedfrom a last in the longitudinal direction thereof and pivotable relativeto at l a I, is ends-viper with a pair of plates pivotably connected toeach other at a point spaced from a l-ast'in. the longi- .tudinaldirection thereof and pivota-ble relative to at least one end part ofthe lastfor lasting the corresponding end part of an upper to an'insole,each of'said plates ;having an extension directed toward the shankportion and of such a length that the folds on the lasting margin of theupper formed behind the area 6f operation of the end wiper by thelasting er the respective end of said lma'rgin will be folded againstthe insole in the direction toward the shank by the side of theextensions facing the insole, a plurality of shank wiper fingers on eachside of a central vertical longitudinal plane of the last, means formoving said fingers within a vertical plane from a least one end part ofthe last for lasting the corresponding end part of an upper to aninsole, a plurality of shank basic position spaced from the bottom ofthe last to an operative position in engagement with the bottom of thelast, and a plurality of auxiliary wiper fingers on each side ofsaidivertical plane for lasting the'part of the up per intermediate saidend parttand said shank thereof, spring means acting upon each 6t saidauxiliai'y fii'lgr s and tending to move the same individually from aposition spaced from said last toward an operative positionin'engagement with the last, each of said plates of said end wiperhaving a recess in the outer side thereof at the 1 rec end directedtoward'the shank of the last and forming a stop edge for limiting thenumber of auxiliary fingers capable of being moved by said spring meanstoward said last and underneath the lasting margin of the upper andwiper fingers on each side of a central vertical longitu-' dinal planeof the last, means for moving said fingers within a vertical plane froma basic position spaced from the bottom of the last to an operativeposition in engagement with the bottom of the last, a plurality ofauxiliary wiper fingers oneach side of said vertical plane for lastingthe part of the upper intermediatesaid' end part and said shank thereof,spring means acting upon each of said auxiliary fingers and tending tomove the same individually from a position spaced fromv said-last towardan operative position in engagement'with the last, stop means on saidend wiper for determining the number of auxiliary fingers capable ofbeing moved by said spring means toward said last and underneath thelasting margin of the upper and stop means for locking said auxiliaryfingers in said operative position 15. In a lasting machine having atleast one longshaped end wiper with a pair of plates pivotably connectedto each other at a point spaced from a last in the longitudinaldirection thereof and pivotable relative to at least one end part of thelast for lasting the corresponding 7 end part ofan upper to, an, insole,each of said plates having an extension-directed toward the shankportion of a last and of such a length that the folds on the lastingmargin of the upper formed behind the area of operation of the end wiperby the lasting'of the respective end of said margin will be foldedagainst the insole in the direction toward the shank by the side of theextensions facing the insole, a plurality of shank wiper fingers on eachside of a central vertical longitudinal plane of the last, means formoving said fingers within a vertical plane from a basic position spacedfrom the bottom of the last to an operative position inengagernent withthe bottom of the last, and a plurality of auxiliary wiper fingers oneach side of said vertical plane for lasting the part of the upperintermediate said end part and s'aid shank thereof, spring means actingupon each of said auxiliary fingers and tending to move the sameindividually from a position spaced from said last toward "an operativeposition in engagement with the last, each ofisaid plates of saidendwiper having a recess in the outer side'the'reof at the nee,

end directed'toward the shank of the last and forming a step edge forlimiting the number of auxiliaryffingers capable of being moved by saidspring meanstoward said last and underneaththe lasting margin of theupper..;

16. In a lasting machine having at least on tong-shaped across saidextensions for pressing said folds on the lasting margin of the upperagainst the insole.

17; In a lasting machine having at least one tongshaped end wiper with apair of plates anomaly co'n nected to each other at a-point spacedfir'omq'a last in the longitudinal direction thereof and pivotablerelative to at the area of operation of the'end wiper, said extensionsbeing offset from the surface of the plates adapted to face the insoleso as to increase the size of the gap for receiving the auxiliaryfingers between the insole'and the extensions, a plurality'of shankWiper fingers on each side of a central vertical longitudinal plane ofthe last, means for moving said fingers within a vertical plane from abasic position spaced from the bottom of the last to an operativeposition in engagement with the bottom of the last, and a pluralityoffauxiliary wiper fingers on each side of said vertical plane forlasting the part of the r pper intermediate said end part and said shankthereof, spring meanstacting upon each ofsaid auxiliary fingersand'ten-dingto move the same individually-from a position spaced fromsaid last toward'an operative position in engagment with the last, eachof said plates of said end wiper having a recess in the outer sidethereof at the tree enddirected toward the shank of the last and forming a stop edge for limiting the number of auxiliary fingers capable ofbeing moved by said spring means to-ward said last-and underneath thelasting margin of the upper.

l 18; In a lasting machine, a shank lasting mechanism comprising aplurality of individual wiper fingers at least at one side of a centralvertical longitudinal plane of a last, and means including a biassingassembly for movand independently of the other fingers from afb'asicposition space-dfromthe bot-tom ofthe last'to' anop'erating position inengagementwith the bottom of the last.

l9. A mechanism as defined in claim 18' wherein said means moves'allofsaidfingerssimultaneously.

20. A mechanism as defined in claim 18 wherein said moving meanssimultaneously returns said fingers to their basic position.

21. A shank lasting machine for use with a last having a verticallongitudinal plane comprising finger-like wipers; means mounting saidWipers for vertical movement into positions which are parallel to eachother to adjust to the shape of the shank of the last; and forceapplying means for automatically moving the wipers independently of oneanother from a basic position in which they are disposed at a verticaldistance from the bottom of the last into an operating position in whichthey touch the bottom of the last.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 391,783 10/88Goodhue 12-l2 689,691 12/01 Schanzer 12-12 2,955,302 10/60 Schoemaker1212 FOREIGN PATENTS 264,018 1/27 Great Britain.

10 RUSSELL C. NADER, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD V. BENHAM, JORDAN FRANKLIN,

Examiners.

1. IN A LASTING MACHINE, A SHANK LASTING MECHANISM COMPRISING APLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL WIPER FINGERS AT LEAST AT ONE SIDE OF A CONTROLVERTICAL LONGITUDINAL PLANE OF A LAST, MEANS FOR MOUNTING EACH OF SAIDFINGERS SO AS TO BE MOVABLE WITHIN A VERTICAL PLANE INTO ONE OF APLURALITY OF POSITIONS WHICH ARE PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER ANDINDEPENDENTLY OF THE OTHER FINGERS FROM A BASIC POSITION SPACED FROM THEBOTTOM OF THE LAST TO AN OPERATIVE POSITION IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THEBOTTOM OF THE LAST, AND RESILIENT MEANS ACTING UPON EACH OF SAID FINGERSFOR MOVING SAID FINGER TOWARD SAID BOTTOM.